


A Minute Without You

by lovesnarf (snarfette)



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Blood, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Kidnapping, M/M, Mentions of Violence, Protective Robert, hurt aaron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-08 00:54:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14093457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snarfette/pseuds/lovesnarf
Summary: Based on the spoilers about Aaron getting kidnapped.





	A Minute Without You

**Author's Note:**

> I was prompted by Haley on tumblr to write this so here it is!
> 
> Featuring hurt Aaron and Robert losing his mind with worry and rage that someone would dare touch his husband, with bonus Cain.
> 
> Title from Snow Patrol’s, ‘Open Your Eyes’.

“And don’t even think about calling the police ‘cause if they show up here, I’ll send him out to you piece by piece.”

Aaron would’ve rolled his eyes at the action movie dramatics, but he was having enough trouble focusing as it was, so he didn’t want to make himself sick with the movement.

Blinking rapidly, he tried to keep track of Syd as he moved across the floor in front of where he was tied to a chair. The blow to his head that had knocked him out had left him fuzzy-headed and struggling to keep his eyes open, but he was forcing himself to stay as alert as possible. There was blood constantly trickling down his forehead and dripping off his eyebrow which wasn’t helping his vision.

But he could see one thing clearly: in his mind, he could see an image of Robert on the other end of the phone, jaw clenching, eyes narrowed as he listened to Syd’s threats. He could imagine how the cogs in Robert’s head would already be turning, devising a plan, plotting revenge. Because no-one, not a single person on the planet, would get away with kidnapping Aaron. Aaron knew that. Syd didn’t. But Aaron was pretty sure he was going to find out fairly soon.

“You didn’t need to do that,” Aaron said, realising his words were a little slurred.

“You what?” Syd barked.

“You didn’t need to warn him not to involve the police. Robert never calls them - they’d just get in his way.”

“Reckons he’s an ‘ard man, does he?” Syd sneered at him. He stepped closer, smirking down at Aaron.

“No, not really,” Aaron drew in a deep breath trying to stay focused. “But I’ve never known anyone get away with as much as he has.” He paused again, feeling the room spinning. “Pretty sure no-one’ll ever find your body,” he said with a slight laugh, wanting to sound like he didn’t have a care in the world, like it didn’t matter that he was strapped to a chair and being held hostage, like his head didn’t feel like it was being split in two. None of that mattered because Robert would come for him: Robert would save him like he always seemed to.

“Think you’re fucking funny, do ya?” Syd spat and he reached out to grab a fistful of Aaron’s hair and drag his head backwards harshly.

Aaron hissed in pain. His eyes squeezed shut as he felt a wave of nausea rush through him. “Just...just trying to...give you a heads up,” he managed to say.

“Well, you need to shut the fuck up,” Syd snapped. He released Aaron’s hair but before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, Syd punched him across the face, snapping his head to the side.

There was a ringing in his ears and Aaron was sure he could feel more blood dribbling down his face.

He tried to stay awake. He needed to help Robert when he got there. But it was a losing battle. Everything went black and silent.  
***  
Every single thought was focused on one thing. Getting Aaron back.

Something had been off all day, but Robert hadn’t been able to put his finger on it until he’d received a phone call telling him that his husband had been taken and if he wanted to see him alive again he’d do what he was told.

A stab of sheer pain had ripped through him at the thought of Aaron in danger, before it was replaced with absolute clarity and focus.

No-one was taking Aaron away from him. Not after he’d finally got him back. Whoever was responsible was going to suffer. But first, he had to get Aaron back in one piece.

He’d waited for the next phone call as patiently as he could when he knew Aaron was out there: maybe injured, maybe scared, maybe pissing his kidnappers off so much that they hurt him just to shut him up. When the call had come, he’d listened to his instructions, bit his tongue when they’d threatened Aaron’s life, and wanted to sneer at them that he wouldn’t be the one needing to call the police when he got finished with the person on the other end of the call. But he stayed calm and he did as he was told. He’d do whatever it took to get Aaron home safely and if that involved a large sum of money that was fine.

Of course, whoever had called him hadn’t mentioned anything about him not bringing someone along (apart from the police) so surely there was no harm in Cain joining him. He would’ve smirked at how foolish Aaron’s abductor was if he wasn’t so worried about his husband. The man clearly had no idea who he was dealing with.

He wasn’t sure how he’d managed to drive to the location he’d been given - he couldn’t remember much of the journey. Cain had been a silent, seething presence beside him for most of the drive and Robert was grateful. He was glad that someone else was feeling the same fury that he was. He knew he could rely on Cain in this situation.

They arrived at the boarded up house and split up as they’d arranged: Cain disappearing around the back and Robert climbing out of the car, grabbing the duffel bag and making his way up to the door which was barely hanging on to its hinges. He pushed it open and realised that his hand was actually shaking. He’d been in a lot of difficult situations in his life, but he’d only ever felt fear like this a few times before. He knew why. He knew that he was terrified about what state he would find Aaron in. What if he was too late? Angrily, he shook his head and forced himself to calm down. He had to hold it together.

The floorboards creaked loudly in the dilapidated house announcing his arrival.

“Kitchen!” A voice shouted. “Come to the back of the house, keep your hands where I can see ‘em.”

Doing as he was told, Robert made his way to the door at the end of the hall and pushed it open slowly.

He drew in a sharp breath as his eyes landed on Aaron immediately. He was slumped sideways on an old wooden chair, blood covering the side of his face and matting his hair. His eyes were closed. His arms were tied behind the chair.

Robert felt something snap inside him. All he wanted was to run to Aaron, release him from the restraints that held him so cruelly and pull him close: hold him and never let go.

At the same time, his whole body yearned to surge forward and grab the bastard standing behind Aaron, wrap his hands around his throat and squeeze until the life drained from him. His hands were trembling again, but this time it wasn’t with fear, it was with pure rage.

But he held himself still, his jaw clenching. He managed to tear his eyes away from Aaron for a moment and stared at the other man for a long time without speaking.

“You brought the money?” he asked.

Robert was still imagining the ways he might inflict pain on the man, but he managed to lift the bag in response to the question.

“Let him go and I’ll give you the bag,” he ground out.

Revenge could wait: all he wanted now was Aaron. He was willing to do whatever it took to get him back.

“I ain’t stupid. Let’s see the cash first,” the man said with a toothy grin, like he was really enjoying this game.

Robert unzipped the bag and held it up to show the wads of money inside, before his eyes moved back to Aaron who hadn’t moved from his position at all.

There had been a time when Aaron had accused Robert of caring more about money than him and Robert had thrown thousands of pounds into a fire to prove him wrong. Now he knew he’d throw every penny he had at this thug if it meant he let Aaron go. Money meant nothing: Aaron was everything.

There was a flash of silver and Robert’s eyes snapped back to the man behind Aaron. His heart dropped to his stomach at the sight of the knife in the man’s hand.

“What are you doing?” he asked desperately. “I brought you the money. Just let him go.” It was impossible to hide the fear in his voice, but it didn’t matter. He wasn’t interested in playing his cards close to his chest. He didn’t care that it was blatantly obvious how desperate he was to get Aaron back; that it was obvious he’d do anything he was asked in return for Aaron’s safety.

“I needed a little insurance policy, didn’t I?” the man said as he waved the knife around casually. “Didn’t want you trying to be the hero.”

“Just let him go,” Robert replied.

The man smirked at him again but before he could speak again, the door into the back of the house crashed open and Cain came flying in, crowbar in hand. He swung it hard and fast straight into the man’s stomach and he crumbled to the floor with a yell of agony that was cut off as he tried to catch his breath. Cain grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and dragged him towards the back door.

“Get Aaron out of here,” he commanded, grunting as he manoeuvred Aaron’s attacker. “I’ll deal with this.”

Robert didn’t hesitate. He rushed forward, dropping to his knees beside Aaron’s unconscious form.

“Aaron! Aaron!” he called, desperately wanting his husband to open his eyes, but he got no response. “Aaron, please. Please wake up.”

Carefully, he lifted his hand to cup the side of Aaron’s face gently. His fingertips grazed through his hair and came away sticky with blood. Robert’s heart was racing but he couldn’t call an ambulance here, not with Cain outside probably about to murder someone.

“It’ll be alright, Aaron,” he said. “You’re going to be alright. I’ve got you.” Maybe Aaron couldn’t hear him, but he needed to say it anyway. He needed to reassure himself.

He moved behind Aaron to try to loosen the ropes that tied his hands but they were so tightly knotted he couldn’t get them to shift. He gritted his teeth in anger at the sight of where the ropes had cut into Aaron’s wrists, tearing the delicate skin where Aaron had obviously struggled against the bonds. If he hadn’t been so desperate to get Aaron some help, he’d have happily joined Cain outside with the crowbar.

His eyes landed on the knife that had been dropped onto the kitchen floor and he grabbed it to carefully slice through the ropes around Aaron’s wrists, casting it aside as soon as Aaron was free because he toppled sideways and Robert had to move quickly to catch him.

For a moment, he held him close against his chest, before he managed to shift Aaron’s weight so he could half lift, half drag him out of the house and to his car. Aaron had let out a pained groan once during the whole experience, but other than that there had been no reaction and Robert was trying to keep calm.

As carefully as he could, he strapped Aaron into the passenger seat before running to his own side and jumping in. Cain would have to make his own way back to the village, but Robert couldn’t worry about that now.

The tyres squealed as he tore away from the kerb, needing to get Aaron to the hospital as fast as he could.  
***  
“Aaron!”

“Please, Aaron.”

He could hear Robert calling his name, but he sounded so distant. He wanted to open his eyes to see his husband. He wondered why he sounded so upset, so desperate. But he couldn’t find the energy to move, to even lift his eyelids.

A gentle hand smoothed across his face and he wanted to lean into the touch, but again he couldn’t move.

“I’ve got you.”

And he knew that was true. Robert sounded fuzzy now, but Aaron knew that he was safe with him. He felt strong hands, felt the security of being held by Robert and then he felt himself drifting. He wanted to stay with Robert: he fought against the pull of unconscious. But it was useless. He let go.  
***  
The clinical smell of a hospital told Aaron where he was before he’d even opened his eyes. He’d woken up like this too many times before to be in any doubt. What exactly had happened this time though, he couldn’t quite recall.

His head felt thick, a dull throbbing constantly pulsing in the background, but he forced his eyes open. It was a slow process and he squeezed them shut against the brightness of the room more than once, but eventually he managed to keep them open.

Immediately, his eyes landed on Robert who was staring at him, his own eyes wide and red-rimmed, from the chair that was pulled close beside the bed.

“Rob?” Aaron croaked.

Robert nodded quickly and Aaron saw how his shoulder sagged a little like he was relieved. “How are you feeling?”

Aaron frowned at him as he considered the question. He swallowed thickly. “Like I’ve been hit over the head a couple of times,” he managed to say. His throat felt like sandpaper as he tried to swallow.

“I’ll get you a drink,” Robert said but he didn’t actually make any attempt to move. It was like he couldn’t bear to leave Aaron’s side even for a moment.

Aaron rolled his head to the side slightly, careful not to jostle his pounding head too much, so he could really look at Robert. He looked a right state, almost as bad as he had when Aaron had woken up in hospital after the car crash. Then he realised that his left hand was lying on the bed, protectively held between both of Robert’s larger hands. And Robert’s hands were trembling slightly. Looking back up at Robert, he noticed how wide his eyes were, how on edge he was.

“Robert? What’s wrong?” he asked.

Robert blew out a long breath and shook his head slightly, his eyes dropping to their joined hands.

“Rob?” Aaron prompted. “Talk to me.”

“I thought...God, I was so scared. I thought I was going to lose you. Again. When I got that phone call, that he’d taken you...” Robert trailed off and looked up at Aaron, his eyes glassy.

Everything came rushing back to Aaron. Leaving the office at the scrapyard, walking to his car, but never making it as something slammed against the back of his head sending him sprawling to the gravel. The struggle to raise himself off the ground in a daze, only to feel a heavy foot between his shoulder blades forcing him harshly back to the rough ground. Then a second blow to the head and blackness flooding his mind. The last thing he’d thought of was Robert: he’d felt fear that someone might have gone after him in the same way before he couldn’t feel anything else anymore.

“I’m going to be alright now,” Aaron tried to reassure Robert.

“I can’t lose you,” Robert told him earnestly.

“You won’t,” Aaron replied immediately. “After everything we’ve been through, you know we always make it.”

Robert didn’t speak; he just lifted Aaron’s hand to his mouth and kissed his knuckles gently. His eyes drifted to the white bandages wrapped around Aaron’s wrists, covering the wounds he knew were there and he frowned.

“I knew you’d come for me,” Aaron whispered.

“Nothing would’ve stopped me,” Robert told him.

And Aaron knew that. There was no way anyone could see the future; no way that anyone could promise they’d both be alright. But Aaron knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Robert would move heaven and earth to be there for him.

“Come ‘ere,” Aaron said, tugging on Robert’s hand a little.

Rising from his chair, Robert leaned over the bed and hovered above him, their faces close.

“I love you,” Aaron said quietly. The look on Robert’s face brought a soft smile to Aaron’s lips.

Robert leaned the rest of the way to close the gap between them. His lips pressed against Aaron’s and his hand cupped his cheek, fingers threading into the hair at the side of Aaron’s head, carefully avoiding the stitches there. “I love you, too,” he breathed against Aaron’s lips as he pulled back slightly, only to lean in again for another gentle kiss.

“You’re going to send me grey, you know,” Robert murmured against his lips as he pulled away again.

“Shut up,” Aaron said with a soft laugh. “I’ll still love you anyway, you know.”

“I know,” Robert replied and he pressed a kiss against Aaron’s forehead.

**Author's Note:**

> I’m snarfettelove on tumblr.


End file.
